


Bird of Prey

by Sable_And_Azure



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Action, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Avian Slaine, Birds, Birds of Prey, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Ornithologist Inaho, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, inspired by a documentary on eagles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:13:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28449744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sable_And_Azure/pseuds/Sable_And_Azure
Summary: The bird is called in many names and in different languages; Simurgh. Konrul. Fenghuang. Garuda. Karura.Phoenix.In some writing, a glimpse of the said bird is a sign of harmony and prosperity. Others associate it with healing, reincarnation and immortality; that eating its flesh grants a life longer than anyone else.  Different countries and different cultures have a unique interpretation and belief surrounding the bird, but despite that, one thing remains common: It is a myth.That is, until its first sighting.
Relationships: Kaizuka Inaho & Slaine Troyard, Kaizuka Inaho/Slaine Troyard
Kudos: 15





	Bird of Prey

**Author's Note:**

> I clearly am not in my most sane state when I started this even though I'm still stuck with the other fic. But anyway, here it is.
> 
> As tagged, this was inspired by a documentary they made us watch in school. I was still a 2nd year back then, and the student government made us known that our college adopted an eagle by the name of Diamante (eng. trans: Diamond). There was one part of the film that mentioned about a keeper being a human surrogate and partner for the eagle, and then boom, and idea was born. I don't know how it works, but I guess the keeper is suppose to take the semen and inseminate it on a female. 
> 
> I couldn't find the whole documentary on yt, but I did find its trailer. I'll plug it here if you're curious (Am I even allowed to?): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FbvsDNCPIU
> 
> P.S: You'll have an idea where I'm from just by watching the trailer lol. And I titled this fic after the documentary too.
> 
> Enjoy and Happy New Years!

Tracking a bird hunted down by poachers is not an easy task, especially without the use of any device. Even for Kaizuka Inaho, looking for it with only a gunshot as a clue is too much.

_‘But if it’s **this** big…’_

Inaho approached with caution.

The total wingspan is probably around six to seven meters, each wing around three or more. The primaries of its flight feathers are clipped almost all the way to the base, whereas some of its secondaries are missing. The tail feathers were of the same misery and are clipped too. Patches of smaller ones stuck out of place, and while some of it is tinted with red color, what stood out the most is the darker shade on the scapulars of the right wing, perfectly in contrast with the rest of its pale yellow plumage.

_‘It’s bleeding.’_

Inaho had to hide behind a bush to analyse the situation further.

The avian is still breathing, but evidently laboured and ragged. It didn’t try to move, probably due to pain and exhaustion. 

And what’s more: The avian has human features.

A human body, to be exact. From head, torso and extremities. Nothing looked unusual; no deformities-- except for those large wings poking out from its back. One might think an angel had fallen, but this angel is rather hurt and hunted. While it is a good thing that Inaho had found it first before any of the poachers does, if he doesn’t act now, it might end up dead.

_“Inaho!”_

A static sound came from his walkie talkie.

_“Did you hear that?!”_

The avian noticed where the sound came from and made an eye contact with the brunette. Within seconds, exhaustion seems to have been washed away and is immediately replaced with hostility. The piercing glare of its cold blue-green eyes reminded Inaho of a cornered animal; ready to attack when threatened.

_“Inaho! Can you hear me?!”_

The avian hissed, sending hostile signals to Inaho not to come closer.

_“Inaho, listen. The poachers this time are hunting something else!”_

Another static sound before it continued to a voice of another woman.

_“They’re looking for the mythic bird, Inaho!”_

“I know.”

Inaho stepped forward, ignoring the killing intent directed towards him. As he got closer, he pressed one of the buttons to respond.

“Inko, Nina. Track down my location. Bring Calm and Dr. Yagarai with you.”

_“Why? What’s happening?!”_

The avian hissed once more; a last attempt to scare Inaho. It’s not really effective, because right now, what the brunette is looking for has finally showed itself; the whole reason why he is here.

“I found it.”

\-----

The bird is called in many names and in different languages; Simurgh. Konrul. Fenghuang. Garuda. Karura.

Phoenix.

In some writing, a glimpse of the said bird is a sign of harmony and prosperity. Others associate it with healing, reincarnation and immortality; that eating its flesh grants a life longer than anyone else. Different countries and different cultures have a unique interpretation and belief surrounding the bird, but despite that, one thing remains common: It is a myth.

That is, until its first sighting.

It was a blurred image captured by a group of researchers searching for a new specie at the heart of the forest. Everyone thought it was just a massive bird, but the Vers Foundation claimed that it was an avian born from books and stories, and that they have a female under their care. The general public doesn’t know this kind of information. Only a few people working in the field of biology and zoology, like Inaho, for example, knew about the existence of the mythic bird. Unfortunately, poachers that are looking for an acceptable prey to flaunt are also not an exception.

Up until today, no one knew what they look like. The female bird under Vers Foundation is said to have a pair golden wings, but didn’t mention about it having a human body. At this rate, calling it a massive bird that came from myths would be an understatement. Rather, it was more of a human with golden wings looking like an angel with unknown origin.

Inaho begged to differ and wouldn’t consider it as an angel though.

The one he found had flowing tail feathers, sharp teeth and piercing eyes. It is too unfriendly to be called an angel. It doesn’t even have an air of elegance in the slightest.

“Inaho?”

Inko’s voice reverberated and bought the brunette back to earth. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“And the bird?”

“We really can’t refer him as a bird now.”

Inko giggled. “You’re right. Then, how is he?”

“Dr. Yagarai is already removing the bullet.” Inaho, with his calm demeanour, surprising expressed his distaste. “I don’t like using tranquilizers on them.”

“Well, he would attack us otherwise. He was ready to kill you.”

“I don’t think one bite would be fatal.”

“That’s not for you to decide though.”

The usual comfortable silence settled between the two as they stopped conversing, waiting for the doctor to come out of the room and tell them with good news. The brunette, who had been waiting for almost three hours, ignored the soreness at the sole of his feet. He could tolerate the physical pain, but his patience is running thin.

He noticed how his friend glanced at him before speaking. “You looked like you want to help.”

“I do, but Dr. Yagarai said it wouldn’t be a good idea.”

She was clearly taken aback by what he said. “That’s rare for you to listen to others.”

“Only because he was making sense. He might get aggressive when he spots the person who shot him with a tranquilizer.”

Inko simply nodded in understanding. The avian lashing out during operation is not an impossible scenario, but they all would likely want to avoid that. She saw how he was outnumbered earlier, and even then, they still have to use the drug to restrain him. The group never expected to meet the mythic bird, much less know about how much strength and power they have. They lack too much information that even Inaho didn't know what to do. It was refreshing to see the smartest kid at a loss.

The young woman glanced at her friend again, noticing how he had his arm in bandages. She remembered how the skin was scraped off, because when they arrived at his location, the brunette was already pinned to the ground. The avian above him was bleeding, and yet he was still able to take a healthy person down. He was baring his sharp teeth towards Inaho, eyes glaring with bloodlust. They still haven't heard anything on what he did or said to the avian, but whatever it was, had they been a moment late, Inaho would not have survived with only a few scratch and cuts.

The door clicked open, and a middle-aged man emerged out of the room. Dr. Yagarai's white lab coat had splotches of red here and there.

“How is he?” Inaho asked. He tried to make it sound not too eager but ultimately failed.

“He's in a better condition now. The wound was deep, and I'm afraid it will take time for him to use his wings, especially when almost all of the flight feathers are clipped...”

Inaho couldn't hide his frustration. Mythic birds aren't supposed to be captured and maltreated. They are a class of bird of prey, and they should have been freely flying. To think that some people out there are using them as trophies...

Dr. Yagarai patted his mop of dark brown hair. “Don't look so glum. Although I was supposed to look after the personnel here, I did try my best to help him. Luckily, there was no marginal difference between his and the human body.”

Inaho nodded, thinking back on his first encounter with the mythic bird. It doesn't feel real. The weight was there, when he pinned him down to the ground. The intimidating flare of his clipped wings and the vicious scowl on his face were all too vivid, too clear for his liking that he was lost for a second, remembering how mesmerized he was by something so dangerous and yet utterly beautiful at the same time.

For him to let another take him down in one clean swoop, Inaho can only offer one explanation: He was bewitched by the avian.

Not that he minds.

“Well, I better get going. I'll leave the matters here to you, Mr. Ornithologist. Call me if something happens.”

As the doctor went on his way, Inaho didn't waste his time and went inside. Inko followed, quietly walking towards the sleeping person.

He was lying on his stomach, his back exposed to them and his face covered with his ashen blonde hair. In the brightly lit room, the avian was naked, but his lower half is covered with drapings. Droplights were all focused on him to avoid shivering, because unlike regular birds who have down feathers for insulation, the mythic bird has a human skin and body.

His wings were sagged down with some of its feathers reaching as low and far as the floor. The scapulars of his right wing where the bullet was previously buried was thoroughly cleaned and bandaged. Inaho noticed a few grim and dirt stuck on the pair of wings, but as mentioned, he is in a better condition than before. Given with time and bath, his wings would be as good as new.

Only if he could say the same with his feathers.

The brunette ran his fingers along, feeling the softness of each vane and firmness of each shaft. It was pleasing to touch, but every time he does, he was reminded of whatever cruelty the avian might have experience with every clipped feather he has.

“You finally met one, huh?” Inko mentioned in her softest voice. She has never seen Inaho to be this absorbed.

“I was hoping for a better encounter than this.”

The years Inaho spent in studying flashed by before him, taunting him of how naive he was in the face of reality. He was once an optimistic student: Full of hope in learning things he never knew existed, ignorant on the tragedy that some animals faced. The mythic bird he eagerly wanted to meet was no exception of the atrocious game the smugglers play, and to only realize this now after meeting one is something he could not forgive. Inaho swore to track them down, even if they hide in the deepest part of the forest.

“Do you think he can still fly after this?”

Truthfully speaking, it will be hard on him. It is not entirely impossible, but one with many hurdles to take. The gunshot wound itself will take months to heal, and even after recovery, the avian still have to undergo rehabilitation so as not to hurt his self when flying. Not to mention, the situation of his clipped feathers. It may be solved by the incoming molting season, but the growth of new feathers is still dependent on time. At most, it will take him a year or more.

Inaho eyed the avian, not removing his gaze even as he speaks. “‘The bird that dares to fall, is the bird who learns to fly.’”

“...A quote?”

“Something I read online.”

By now, the avian must have come to dislike humans, and that includes Inaho despite the fact that his job is to study and look after birds. He isn't to be blamed, because until now, the humans he met have showed him with nothing but malice. Daring to fall means he'd have to accept Inaho's company, so that he could help him with his wings. He needs the avian to learn to trust him, so that they can work together for a full recovery.

_‘Trust.’_

A word so easy to say, and yet so hard to build.

Still, flying again is not a matter of yes or no, because this is Kaizuka Inaho. The goal he set his burgundy eyes on will be achieved, regardless of the time or effort it will take him.

“Inko.”

“Yes?”

Inaho brushed the avian's hair, surprised by how soft and silky it is. “It's time for work.”


End file.
